He pledged to strengthen its integration in the region and support it in security… He affirmed his commitment to the two-state solution
US President Joe Biden began his tour of the region from Israel, yesterday, with the promise of a deeper partnership, and to enhance its integration in the region. But at the same time, he stressed the importance of the two-state solution and the need for “more peace.”
Biden was well received at Ben Gurion Airport, where Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and most of the government were waiting for him.
Upon his arrival, Biden delivered a speech in which he stressed that relations with Israel are “deeper and stronger than ever.” He stressed the importance of peace, saying: “There is a need for more peace and more stability, and these are very important matters for the peoples of the region.”
The Israeli president welcomed Biden, and Lapid delivered a speech in which he considered the visit “historic as it expresses the unbreakable relationship.”
The United States and Israel plan to issue a joint statement called the “Jerusalem Declaration,” which is supposed to serve as a road map for relations between the two countries in the coming years.
Today (Thursday) Biden is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, and then participate in the first meeting of the leaders of the West Asian Group I2U2, which includes the leaders of Israel, India and the United Arab Emirates.
There is concern in Israel that the American effort to bring Israel closer to more Arab countries will translate into putting pressure on it to make concessions to the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority and Arab countries are pressing for American pledges to implement the commitments announced since Biden came to power, including freezing settlements and advancing the path of establishing a Palestinian state.
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